[Structural changes and reorganization of the activity of the cortical neurons in the behavior of chronically alcoholized rabbits]

Abstract

Unit activity in the limbic cortex recorded during food acquisition behaviour was analyzed in the rabbits that were subjected to chronic (2.5-3.0 months) alcohol administration (CA). Morphological changes in the limbic cortex were studied in the same animals. It was shown that after CA the numerical density of cell bodies decreased as compared to that of the healthy animals and the size of cell bodies changed; number of units, activity of which could be detected during microelectrode penetration, decreased as well. All aforementioned changes were more prominent in the upper (II-IV) layers of the cortex as compared to the lower (V-VI) ones. These facts are associated with the decrease of the number of active units belonging to systems formed in the later phases of individual development. There was no decrease of the number of active units following an acute administration of alcohol in the chronic animals unlike the situation observed in the healthy animals.